AQUATICS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XVIII, Issue XVIII, 1 May 1897, Page 542

AQUATICS.

The Championship Regatta held at Picton on Easter Monday was the most perfect success. Everything went well from start to finish. The judges—Messrs H. F. Logan and M. J. Kilgour—gave unlimited satisfaction. Mr A. G. Johnson was umpire and timekeeper, as usual, and Mr John Duncan, of Picton, as starter, received cheers upon cheers from the crowded steam launches which followed the races for the perfect manner in which the starts were made —the boats starting off like a regiment of soldiers, each one taking the water at the same instant at the word of command. The umpire declares he never saw a better managed or more interesting regatta. The first race was the Champion Sculls, which was won by Chapman, of Wairewa, the Picton man coming in second, and Wellington third. The public had hardly warmed up to it, and the winner through that was coldly received. The Champion Fours was the next race. For that the Port Chalmers crew was the favourite, though many still clung to their old love, •Queen’s Drive.’ There was great excitement during this race, and for some time—misled by the similarity of colours—it was thought that ‘Queen’s Drive’ leading. Port Chalmers was second, but it was otherwise ; the Wellington ‘ Stars ’ came second, Port Chalmers third, and Wellington and Blenheim came in neck and neck for fourth and fifth places. In the Maiden Fours Wellington came in first, Picton second. For the Champion Double Sculls there were only three entries, Chapman, and Reid, of Wairewa, taking first honours, McCormick brothers second. The Junior Fours was an interesting race, Wanganui, who only arrived at midday by excursion boat, having been delayed in Wellington by bad weather, being the favourites, and winning by a boat’s length. Champion Pairs being the only champion race entered for by Picton, there was naturally much local feeling, and the two boys when they won were carried on the shoulders of their supporters into the Club's shed from the boat, and received an ovation. The Ladies’ Plate race, rowed immediately after the Champion Pairs, was really flriwa to Picton for a row over; they could not have won it. Two of the men, Fredericks and Smith, were too much exhausted with their exertions in the Pairs just rowed, but the other clubs were anxious to return by excursion boat, so gave up their chance. It seemed foolish to have the same men pulling in consecutive races. Cheers were given for Picton by departing crews, who like the place, the people, and the little outing rhe Championship Regatta gives them.